EFFECTS OF LEAD ON THE SOMATIC GROWTH OF CHILDREN

Studies on the effects of lead on the somatic growth of children are l imited and contradictory. The authors investigated the adverse effects of blood lead concentration on the somatic growth of primary-school-a ge children. In this study, there was a total of 522 children, aged 6- 9 y, who resided in three areas of Greece (i.e., Loutraki, Lavrion, an d Elefsina). The medical evaluation included medical history; physical examination; and measurements of height, head circumference, and ches t circumference. The authors also evaluated dietary information, socio economic status, and height of parents. The authors conducted laborato ry tests for hematological parameters and blood lead levels. The mean blood lead level was 12.3 mu g/dl (standard deviation = 8.9 mu g/dl), and levels ranged from 1.3 mu g/dl to 51.2 mu g/dl. There were negativ e monotonic relationships between growth parameters and blood lead lev ers, even after the authors allowed for confounding effects. An increa se in blood lead level of 10 mu g/dl was associated with a decrease of (a) 0.33 cm in head circumference (95% confidence interval = 0.12, 0. 55; p = .002); (b) 0.86 cm in height (95% confidence interval = 0.14. 1.16; p = .020); and (c) 0.40 cm in chest circumference (95% confidenc e interval = -0.22, 1.02; p = .207). These findings led the authors to conclude that a decrease in growth in children may be associated with blood lead concentrations.